General Description of Class
The BUYER 2, located in a centralized purchasing department of a college or university, buys quality services and supplies for the college or university at the best possible price.
Distinguishing Features
This is the second of a three-level series. This class is distinguished from the lower level by the purchasing of a wider variety of commodities, requiring broader technical knowledge and the absence of close supervision. This class is distinguished from the higher level by the absence of the purchasing of highly technical and sophisticated equipment and supplies, requiring complicated vendor and product research and complex bid and specification writing.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Purchasing. Typical tasks: analyzes and evaluates purchase requisitions submitted by the departments for accuracy; determines purchasing methodology (i.e. formal or informal bid processes) applying agency and Department of General Services rules and regulations; assists departments in determining specifications, quantities, product availability and sources of supply; places purchase orders with vendors; maintains catalog and price lists and price agreements; maintains purchasing policy and procedures manuals.
2. Bid Specification Development and Bid Awarding. Typical tasks: assists departments in determining specification; reviews departmental purchase requests to determine if dollar amount of items to be purchased falls within the delegated authority given by General Services; if dollar amount falls within the delegated authority, obtains competitive bid by telephone or mail, evaluates bid responses for compliance to administrative requirements, refers summary of responses to department for approval of product specifications, awards bid in accordance with Attorney General's Model Rules, resolves vendor complaints that may arise about the bid and award process; if the dollar amount exceeds delegated authority, prepares bid specifications and coordinates bidding through General Services, including coordination of review of bid responses and resolving vendor complaints.
3. Problem-Solving. Typical tasks: resolves shipping, receiving, and billing discrepancies with users/vendors; negotiates returns and allowances; expedites orders, reschedules deliveries, cancels and renegotiates orders.
4. Training. Assists with training of Purchasing Agent l's, and provides guidance and assistance to Buyer l's.
The Buyer 2 makes decisions concerning legal aspects of purchasing as well as the cost, quality and availability of goods and services. This can substantially impact the agencies budget and ability to fulfill it's mission.
Relationships with Others
Employees in this class are in regular telephone and in-person contact with customer representatives to obtain technical information and assistance regarding equipment, with vendors to place purchase orders, receive competitive bids, and resolve billing problems, with departmental employees to determine purchasing and equipment needs/requirements, and with the Department of General Services to establish price agreements and to exchange information about bids and purchasing procedures.
Supervision Received
Employees in this class receive general supervision from an administrative superior through a random audit of purchase orders, bids and contracts for completeness, accuracy and compliance with purchasing rules and regulations. Work performed by employees in this class must also comply with State and Federal purchasing regulations, agency buyers handbook, General Service regulations and policies, and agency purchasing procedures.
Minimum Qualifications
- two years of full-time purchasing experience which must include using purchasing practices, procedures, and techniques such as determining specifications, placing purchase orders, and processing requisitions: AND
- a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or a closely-related field or three more years of relevant experience.??